Committee Updates March 2015

Mental Health (Scotland) Bill

The Society’s mental health and disability committee submitted a stage 1 briefing on the above bill. In the briefing the committee reiterated its concerns highlighted in its written evidence on the proposed extension of short term detention pending determination from 5 days to 10 days. The committee highlighted that although this proposal is based on recommendations of the McManus report, this extension is, in the committee’s’ view no longer necessary, and that the problem associated with the 5 day period would be alleviated by a 10 day period. The committee also highlighted its concerns that the bill does not provide patients detained in a low security hospital the right to appeal against conditions of excessive security. Confining the right of appeal to patients in medium secure facilities is, in the Society’s view, restrictive and discriminatory.